Rum forest run

It all started very good. I ran every second day and I loved it. Then I had people visiting me and I stopped, for 6 weeks! Which is a loooong time.

BUT today I started again, and I feel like a new person. This is what I've missed and I'm not stopping ever again.

I love running, and especially along the ocean. It's so beautiful I don't think about what I'm doing. Today it was like someone tried to kill me tho, +34C and the sun was still up. Not doing that mistake again. Note to self - don't run before 8.30 pm :)

Butterflies butterflies butterflies

Last Wednesday we only had departure transfer at work and Johanna had a day off so we decided to go to the butterfly valley. Such an amazing place. The nature was stunning and the butterflies were everywhere (see photos)

I've never been on a place like this before with so many animals from the same kind in one place (not that I can remember atleast) After a while I thought it was a little disgusting when it looked like the tree hog (?) was moving bcs it was filled with butterflies. But as I said earlier it was an amazing place. We walked half of the valley, we asked a lady working there and she said this is the nice half and there's not much to see in to lower part. Okay! And I happy we listened to her, I wouldn't be able to walk all of it. Uphill and +42 degrees! I have never been that close to fainting (?) because of heat as when we finally reached the bar on the top. And then we had the walk down to the car left... After a while we saw an empty taxi and this saved our lives ;)

dreams.

Dreams - big and small

I have a few dreams that I want to fulfill before I one day can't travel anymore. (The most of my dreams are connected with going to another country/place). I have a Bucket list on my wall (and this always go with me when I move somewhere else) for me to be able to read what's next. Why I'm saving as much money as I can.

Some of them are smaller and some of them are bigger. And some is scary and some is not so scary. IF I will be able to do all those things I don't know - but I'll definitely do my best!

Next on the list is learn to do a handstand - might be one of the simple ones but it's still a little dangerous. I've started to practice at home against a wall and I'll get there without the wall one day, I know I will, but it has to take the time it needs :) this is I guess one of the small ones. And the next big one I think is going to South America, which includes several of the things on my bucket list, when and for how long this trip will be is not more than a dream. Hopefully it will be my next long trip, so in January I hope I've saved enough to go for a couple of months. I won't be able to do all South America in on trip, but parts of it.

One of my closest friends sent me a very good quote the other day. Something I wanna share with you.

"For every argument you make, I can make a logical counter agreement but at the end of the day it comes down to one thing: what makes you happy? If you really want to travel, go travel. Life will work itself out. You can always go home if you don’t like it. We are only here in this form once, why not live the life you want and do what brings you joy?

Epta Piges

Last week it was finally time for us to go to butterflies valley, everybody talks about this and tells me I have to go and I have to go soon bcs the butterflies won't stay much longer. I love to see new places so why not, Anna Gabriella and I picked everything we needed and drove there - and as soon as we parked the car an old Norwegian man asks me Are you here for the butterfly valley? Yes of course i answer him (there's NOTHING else to do around there, except pick olives and they're not ready yet) He now tells me it's closed! Ah dammit, what shall we do now. Anna is fast coming up with a new place, epta piges or as I would say seven springs. Epta piges is Greek and means seven springs. I thought it would be some kind of amazing Greek translation to this but no :(

Seven springs is on the other side of the island so we get in the car and start our way down the east coast of Rhodes. Seven springs is a big tourist place, and there were a lot of people when we came. We looked around a little bit and then we started walking thru the tunnel, the tunnel might be 200 m (I have no idea, just guessing now) and it's dark cold and you walk in the water... I'm telling you I lose my feet after 10 meters bcs the water was so cold! Anyway, we walked for what felt like a lifetime thru the tunnel and after I while I saw lights :) halfway Gabriella tells me, oh I thought we were done... So we continued and I got the feeling that the lady in front of me was scared, really scared and then I thought what happens if she panics in here, it's people everywhere - totally ruined the second part of the tunnel.

(Halfway, but from outside the tunnel)

When we came out of this there's a lake (kind of) and a waterfall. Amazing nature, fresh water from the mountains - BUT way too many tourist...

Like a child

Saturday is one of the days me and Anna goes for an adventure. And last week she wanted to let 3 of her birds out in the free, so I came with her.

We went to a forest, once we've been there before, but to an other part of it. And I found a swing! In the middle of nowhere. Happy like a child I started to swing while Anna got the birds out. So peaceful out there in the forest. Didn't think I could find a place like that here.

Take me to the lake

One day a couple of weeks ago we went on a trip to the lake. I never thought there were a lake on this island but there is and I have been there. Before we went my friend Anna told me there's a surprise for me there, and you know how curious I am so I wanted to go directly to the lake :) haha!

It was a long drive there and when we finally got there the surprise was gone :( but we found something else, very interesting. Houses, several houses and in a few of them you could peek in to the window, beds and kitchen. Just like the places we went to on field trips when I was a kid to spend the night with your classmates. After I while there I hear Anna scream I found keys, and we decided to check if the keys worked on any of the doors there. Oh yes, it did and we walked in to two of those small houses to check what it looks like. Exciting!

Happy Swedish fish!

THE key!

It reminded me of how beautiful Sweden is in the summer.

After the lake we went to a beach south of Monolithos. They've talked about this beach for weeks too and I was so happy I finally go there. It was beautiful!

(sorry I can't remember the name of it)

On the way home we entered a festival, something to do with the church in this village I think. They tried to close the street, didn't work very well! Haha!

Im on top of the world

We did something crazy today. My friend Anna and I. Spontaneously we drove all the way to Embona to be able to drive all the way up to the top of the highest mountain here in Rhides. Attavyros mountain, 1215 meters above the sealevel. Like this wouldn't be an adventures itself we realized half way there that we don't have much petrol left I'm the car, but hey? What is an adventure with no adventure in it, right? We made it to the top and all the way to the gas station, so no problems.

It's always been in my mind to go up there but I thought I would have to walk and in this heat it's a little too much. But we'll do it again. But not until October and then we will walk all the way up... Right Anna??

I don't have much more to say, I'll let. The pictures talk instead. But I had an amazing afternoon!

When are you going to do something with your life?

There's two different things with this living abroad I hate. Two questions that drives me crazy, ruins my day.

First one is - when are you gonna do something with your life?

Second one is - what does your parents think about you not getting an education or getting a real job?

I'm doing more with my life than most people that only wants to get an education and then get a job and save money. I do save money so that I can see what the world has to show me, and that my dear friends is definitely to do something with your life! I'm not saying you're doing wrong and I'm doing right BUT if this is what I wanna do for the next 5 or maybe even 10 years why are you concerned about it? I promise I'm doing fine. I don't care if you spend 5 years of your life in school while I spend 5 years seeing the world. School, kids and get married is something I can do later, but travel the world when you have children and so on is not as easy as for me. But I think you all should try it.

And then the second one - what my parents think? They tell me they're happy about me doing what I love and what I wanna do and I'm pretty sure they're being honest. And why should they care? I get myself around (most of the time) and I save money from what the jobs I get pay me and then I travel. It's not like I borrow money for this... I don't know why this would be such a big problem for some people out there. If this is what I wanna do why the hell should my parents care about it? I'm not a criminal.

So please please please, I'm asking you to think what you're doing with your life before judging mine.

Sorry if this was a little rough but it needed to get it out, and if you're enjoying me traveling the world and like to follow my adventure - then don't care about this post! Love you!

The war...

There's been a war in Rhodes since I got here. A war between us and the barstreet people. A war I won't be a part of anymore, takes too much of my energy and why should I fight with people I have no reason to fight with. Some (and I only mean some) of them are actually nice.

For those of you who haven't been here or know much about this island. Here comes the story about the island. Rhodes is the BIG partyisland for Scandinavians. Younger Scandinavians. And a lot the people working there are from Sweden and Norway. Which makes it even a bigger party place. It's also a big party place for English people but they live 20 k south of town so we don't have to deal with that here. Haha

I've been at the bar street a couple of times but it's not a place for me. I'm waaaay too old. Haha!

New day and new possibilities

Yesterday's post wasn't very happy, sorry about that.

For all of you that texted me last night, first of all thanks. I love you guys! But dont worry, I'm always fine and you know I won't give up. I'm almost half way thru my summer here and I'm not going home before October! Greece is too amazing for me to leave a place like this, and one of you told me last night that it'll all be the same when I go home so why are you not just enjoying Rhodes while you can? And that's exactly what I'll try to do. And what I've tried to do since I got here too.

Today is a nice day, the thermometer shows +35 C, 95 F, and just packed my bag to go to the beach.

Homesick as never before

I've told you about this before. But it reached new levels. I know I've always said that if you go out do things and just stop thinking about home you won't be homesick. But I am, and I can't do a thing bout it. And that drives me crazy. The worst thing is that it only gets worse for every day...

But I think I've realized why I'm homesick. Greece is first of all a lot like home, except the heat. I can find almost any Swedish things I miss, except the ones I miss the most. My friends and family! It's been a hard time since I got here, I haven't made any close friends that I can hang out with like I do at home. And I think this is the reason I miss Sweden so badly.

Also, one other thing hit me yesterday. While I was following a friend of mine finishing an iron man in Idaho, USA. Which was an awesome experience for me. I don't know what to say, I'm

Impressed. Congrats! I miss swimming, and I miss all the hours I spent by the pool with my boys. And not just. This I miss the atmosfear at the pool where I used to work, I miss my friends from there and I miss all the laughs.

A blogger wrote about being homesick a while ago, sorry about this but it'll be in Swedish.

With those words (use google translate if you don't speak Swedish ;)) I'm gonna fight for this summer to be not the best because it's hard to beat the one in Seattle but for it to be a good one. Thanks Jennifer!